


In Deimos' light

by Momuno



Series: Dialogue Prompts [1]
Category: Red Rising Series - Pierce Brown
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Attempt at Romance, M/M, late-night swimming, sort of established relationsship - it is complicated
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-27 15:24:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21394405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Momuno/pseuds/Momuno
Summary: “The moon is high tonight, it frames you well.”  - Dialogue Prompt
Relationships: Sevro au Barca | Goblin/Cassius au Bellona
Series: Dialogue Prompts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1542403
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	In Deimos' light

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [here](https://howlingalltheway.tumblr.com/post/188963994592/since-we-talked-about-cassiussevro-maybe-you-can/)

The lake had once been one of the many craters that had scarred the surface of Mars. Dry and dead like everything else on the planet had been. But now, decades later, the freshwater that had filled said crater was full of all sorts of marine life. Beneath the waves that glittered in the silvery light of Deimos lay a world of small fish and plants that could fill anyone with wonder.  
Cassius held his breath as he willed his body to still and sink beneath the surface of the lake. Down here, where the rays of moonlight could only do so much to brighten the darkness, everything was peaceful. It was as if time itself would hold its breath if only for the short while that one managed to stay under the waves.  
When they had been younger Julian and he had sometimes competed in who could hold his breath longer. It seemed so long ago now, almost a lifetime. And in a way it was. So much had changed these past years. His views on life, on the society he had lived in for so long without even attempting to see its flaws, had been broken down and rebuild. It was a shame it had taken him so long to see.  
Back then, before Darrow had come and turned everything upside down, Cassius would have never thought that he would be part of something so much bigger than he himself was. Sure, he had grown up, knowing that he would step in the footprints left by his family, but he would have never imagined that he would help path a different, a new course for generations to come.

The young man came up for air before the lack of oxygen could make his lungs burn in protest. Slicking his hair back out of his face, he decided to just float for a little while. He hadn't really planned on going for a late-night swim. It had just sort of happened.  
The cool water stood in strong contrast to the still-hot night air, that now warmed Cassius' head and torso protruding from the waves. It felt nice, like home. Like bittersweet memories of an easier time, when he and Julian had spent hours staring up into the stars imagining the adventures they would go on to. Adventures that never came to be.  
Cassius would have never thought that he would have to face the future without his twin at his side. Even now, years after his death, the thought of his brother's smile still stung and Cassius wasn't sure that it would ever stop. Maybe it was better like that, maybe this feeling wasn't supposed to completely vanish. Get better, easier, but not vanish. This feeling was a reminder. Another reminder that the life so carelessly accepted by so many golds had been wrong. That lives were not simple playthings that could be toyed with and thrown away by those who were bigger and stronger than oneself.

Cassius was ripped out of his thoughts when a shadow fell upon him. Though before his body could turn around to face whoever had so rudely intruded on his bath, a familiar voice called out to him: “Well, this brings back memories.”  
Sevro stood on a small rock that reached into the lake and where the crater wall had once been highest. The head of his wolf cloak was pulled up. With Deimos behind him, it made the smaller man look eerily like one of those creatures often spoken about in old tales, way older than the society had ever been. Half-man half-wolf, both and neither at the same time. It was fitting.  
“Should I get Reap, so we can reenact that day? If I remember correctly you were busy freezing to death.”  
Cassius laughed. He couldn't help himself. Of all the things he really hadn't thought that Sevro would talk about that day.  
“I don't think Darrow would appreciate being woken up right now. Last I heard Pax had a talent for keeping him up.”  
Sevro clicked his tongue in agreement.  
“You could join me though.” A pause followed Cassius' offer and he was almost sure that the other men would decline when Sevro finally shrugged his shoulders.

He didn't take long to undress and shortly after his arms parted the water, as he dove from the rock he had been standing on mere seconds before. Graceful wasn't a word that Cassius would have ever believed to associate with a man like Sevro au Barca. And yet he couldn't deny that there was something enticing, about the way his body moved through the water. Utterly in control of himself. They may hadn't grown up under the same circumstances or with the same values in life, but that didn't change the fact that they both, at a young age, had learned to dance. Cassius with a razor, in halls of gold. Sevro with nature, in meadows and lakes and forests so tall they seemed endless.

A few strong strokes were enough for Sevro to reach him.  
“It's way colder than I thought.”, he grumbled and Cassius was sure that if he were to touch his arms, he would be able to feel goosebumps.  
“I think we've been through worse.” Sevro rolled his eyes at his words, even with Deimos in his back, Cassius could see the glint of the white in them.  
“Oh please. Don't let Darrow hear that he will go on and on about being carved for hours.” He was joking. The taller man wasn't sure if Sevro could really talk bad about their friend, even if he wanted to. Probably, only when worried about him. Cassius had once believed Sevro to be a monster. A psychopath, an animal disguised as a Gold. Time had taught him that the Goblin of Mars was a lot more human than he let on.  
Their short conversation came to a halt, both of them lingering in their own thoughts. And it was Cassius who broke the silence when something entered his brain, that left him grinning.  
“Sort of romantic.” He had never seen Sevro raise his eyebrows that high. “I mean.. the lake, the moon. It's like a scene from a romance novel.”  
“Yeah... I don't read that shit.” That answer really didn't surprise Cassius.  
“No really. This is the point where people usually pay each other compliments.” Sevro laughed. Loud and long and had something in Cassius not decided that this laugh was strangely endearing, he might have been offended.  
“I don't know what's so funny about that.”, he complained. The grin on his face slightly ruining the effect.

“Stop fishing. You don't need a compliment. You bloodydamn know that you look good.” This time it was Cassius who rolled his eyes at the words. “Wow... so that's the height of romance for you?”  
Sevro shrugged.  
“What can I say. I'm working with what I got here.”  
“Or you could try.” He wasn't really trying to force Sevro into saying something nice. Really, his words before had already been pretty much more than Cassius had expected but it was still fun to reel him on. Just a little bit.  
“I really can't. Don't know if you noticed but I'm not exactly the soft-spoken kind.”  
“Oh, trust me. I noticed.”  
Years ago, when they had first met, a conversation like this would have probably escalated. Turned into something that would leave both of them tasked with liking their wounds. But right now there was no hostility in the air.  
“Piss off. You do it then!”

Cassius did not need to be told twice. He leaned forward, resting one hand on Sevro's chin, while never breaking eye contact.  
“The moon is high tonight”, his voice was low, forcing Sevro to lean forward himself, if he wanted to hear it. Effectively bringing them into each other's space. “It frames you well.”  
The words had their desired effect. For a second Sevro's eyes grew wide and Cassius could swear that, if there had been more light, he would have been able to see blood rush to the smaller man's face. But then that moment was over and a wall of water hit Cassius in the face, as Sevro decided that dunking someone that had just paid him a compliment was a valid reaction. They really had to work on that.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to you can always come and talk to me on Tumblr: [@howlingalltheway](https://howlingalltheway.tumblr.com/)


End file.
